Nebraska's 107th Legislature (2021-2022)
Life and Human Dignity
LB20 (Sen. Carol Blood): Expanded Contraception for Low-Income families
Description: Mandates that all health insurance plans in Nebraska, including private and self-insured plans offered by employers, provide free or low-cost hormonal contraceptives to their employees and/or subscribers.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB67 (Sen. Jen Day): Contraception in School-Based Health Centers
Description: Lifts restriction for school-based health centers to provide access to contraceptive services to school children.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB120 (Sen. Megan Hunt): SOGI & Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Description: Creates special protections for ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity’ in the contexts of housing, public accommodations, and employment law.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB167 (Sen. Suzanne Geist): Religion Is Essential Act
Description: Prohibits government from infringing on the religious liberty of churches and other religious organizations during a state of emergency, unless the government can prove a compelling interest that is equally applied to all organizations and businesses.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB183 (Sen. Megan Hunt): Abortifacient Emergency Contraception & Hospitals
Description: Requires all hospitals—regardless of their sincerely held moral or religious views about human life—to dispense abortifacient emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB230 (Sen. Megan Hunt): SOGI & Public Accommodations and Housing
Description: Creates special protections for ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity’ in statewide public accommodations law and statewide housing laws, which would require the state to discriminate against those who have traditional moral or religious views about marriage and human sexuality
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB231 (Sen. Megan Hunt): Ban on Talk Therapy for Children
Description: Prohibits children from seeking certain forms of therapy (e.g., talk therapy, faith-based counseling, spiritual direction) when grappling with same-sex attraction and gender identity issues.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB251 (Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh): Organ Donation Consent by Minors
Description: Changes the age of consent for minor child to choose to be an organ donor from age 16 to age 14.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Neutral Read our testimony here.
LB276 (Sen. Megan Hunt): Eliminate Physician Presence Requirement for Abortion
Description: Repeals the requirement that an abortionist to be physically present when performing an abortion, which would allow, for example, the abortion pill to be distributed via the mail or webcam.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose
LB447 (Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh): Religious Exemption & Mandatory Vaccinations for Child Care Facilities
Description: Eliminates a religious exemption from the compulsory vaccination requirement of children in child care facilities which includes Catholic early childhood education centers and child care centers. Note: Because of an AM to reinstate the religious exemption, the NCC adjusted its position from "oppose" to "neutral".
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Neutral
LB597 (Sen. Joni Albrecht): Stillbirth Tax Credit
Description: Provides a $2000 refundable tax credit for parents who experience the stillbirth of an unborn child who has reached at least 20 weeks gestational age.
Status: Amended into LB432, and Approved by Governor on May 26, 2021.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB715 (Sen. Megan Hunt): Expand Abortion Health Insurance Coverage
Description: Repeals current prohibitions on abortion coverage in public health insurance programs.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB716 (Sen. Megan Hunt): Expand Eligible Abortion Providers
Description: Permits advance practice registered nurses, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants to perform abortions.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB741 (Sen. Wendy DeBoer): Review and Protection of Stillbirths
Description: Provides an additional responsibility for the State Child and Maternal Death Review Team to identify and understand the causes and incidences of stillbirths and provide recommendations for preventing stillbirths.
Status: Approved by Governor on April 18, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB774 (Sen. Tom Brewer): First Freedom Act
Description: Restores religious freedom protections by ensuring that laws that burden religious practice are subject to the compelling interest test, which requires the government to show that its interest in burdening was compelling and that it was doing so in a narrowly tailored fashion.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB781 (Sen. Julie Slama): Heartbeat Act
Description: Requires an ultrasound to be performed prior to any abortion, in order to detect a heartbeat which if detected would make it illegal to perform an abortion.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB929 (Sen. Anna Wishart): Extended Medicaid for Postpartum Mothers
Description: Extends the amount of time for postpartum mothers who have Medicaid coverage, from 60 days to 12 months.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB933 (Sen. Joni Albrecht): Human Life Protection Act
Description: Protects the life of preborn children from the moment of conception, if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB963 (Sen. Dave Murman): Medical Ethics and Diversity Act
Description: Protects medical practitioners, health care institutions, and health care payers from discrimination, punishment, and retaliation as a result of exercising their medical conscience..
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB1086 (Sen. Suzanne Geist): Chemical Abortion Safety Protocol
Description: Provides for evidence-based protections to safeguard women's health by requiring abortionists to screen women for risk factors before prescribing abortion-inducing drugs, prohibiting the prescription of these drugs after 7 weeks gestation, requiring follow-up visits and the reporting of any complications, and halting abortion drugs by mail from out-of-state practitioners.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB1129 (Sen. Adam Morfeld): Free Taxpayer Funded Contraception
Description: Requires the state to provide free contraception to any woman requesting contraception.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 20222.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
Education
LB5 (Sen. Carol Blood): Purple Star Schools Act
Description: Recognizes K-12 schools which have military friendly programming and resources as a Purple Star School
Status: Approved by the Governor on April 16, 2021.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB322 (Sen. Matt Williams): School Safety & Security Reporting System Act
Description: Creates a statewide, anonymous reporting system for students, school officials, parents, and other community members to report safety and security concerns.
Status: Approved by Governor on May 24, 2021.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB327 (Sen. Julie Slama): Financial Literacy Curriculum Mandate
Description: Requires all schools to provide a financial literacy course to high school students, which is already provided for in an authentically Catholic way without a government mandate.
Status: Indefinitely Postponed.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB351 (Sen. Lou Ann Linehan): “Step Up to Quality” Rating for Early Childhood Education Centers
Description: Allows licensed child care providers—such as early childhood education centers—in good standing to maintain their Step Up to Quality rating if they alter their license.
Status: Approved by Governor on April 7, 2021.
NCC Position: Support
LB364 (Sen. Lou Ann Linehan): Opportunity Scholarships Act
Description: Provides more scholarship opportunities for low-income and working-class children to attend a private school of their choice.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022; Failed to overcome a filibuster on April 28, 2021 (See vote); failed to overcome a filibuster on January 12, 2022 (See vote).
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB389 (Sen. Rita Sanders): Teaching Certificates for Military Spouses
Description: Provides teacher certificate reciprocity in state statute for spouses for military members.
Status: Approved by Governor on March 31, 2021.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB396 (Sen. Tom Brandt): Farm-to-School Program
Description: Provides an avenue for all schools to purchase locally and regionally produced or processed foods for school meal programs, with the intended goals of providing healthier food options, investing in local economies, and connecting children to the agricultural sector.
Status: Approved by Governor on May 25, 2021.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB529 (Sen. Lynne Walz): Lottery Fund Reallocation & Education Programs
Description: Reallocates state lottery funds that support a variety of education programs such as the Excellence in Teaching Cash Fund and the Access College Early (ACE Scholarship Cash Fund which assist Catholic school students and teachers.\
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022; Failed to overcome a filibuster on May 18, 2021 (See vote).
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB681 (Sen. Lou Ann Linehan): Educational Savings Accounts for K-12 Expenses
Description: Helps families of students in non-public schools save for tuition expenses by expanding the pre-existing college savings (529) accounts to be used for K-12 tuition expenses.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 13, 2021.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB758 (Sen. Tom Brandt): Updates to Nebraska Farm-to-School Program
Description: Expands the Nebraska Farm-to-School Program (LB396 above), which provides more local community connections between schools and food and ag producers.
Status: Approved by Governor on March 3, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB872 (Sen. Tom Brewer): Wearing Tribal Regalia by Students
Description: Allows Native and Indigenous students to wear or display tribal regalia while at school or school functions.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support
LB902 (Sen. Ray Aguilar): Nebraska Career Scholarship Act
Description: Incentives college students to pursue degrees in depleted workforce areas, such as education, by providing scholarship assistance.
Status: Approved by Governor on April 18, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB945 (Sen. Lou Ann Linehan): Teacher Student Loan Forgiveness
Description: Incentives college students to pursue degrees in depleted workforce areas, such as education, by providing scholarship assistance.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB982 (Sen. Robert Hilkemann): Income Tax Deductions for Educational Expenses
Description: Provides an income tax deduction for certain qualifying educational expenses.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support
LB1014 (Sen. Mike Hilgers on behalf of Gov. Pete Ricketts): Education Recovery Accounts to Address COVID Learning Loss
Description: Utilizes $60 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding over the course of the next three academic school years to assist low-income families whose children have experienced learning losses due to COVID.
Status: Approved by Governor on April 13, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB1212 (Sen. Lou Ann Linehan): IEP Student "Backpack Money"
Description: Allows a child receiving special education services with an individualized education program to take their education funding with them should they transfer to another public school or private school.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB1213 (Sen. Joni Albrecht): Database Provider Obscenity Liability
Description: Requires educational database providers contracted to provide digital and online resources to K-12 students to filter out obscene and harmful materials, and allows for parents to pursue legal action against the database provider where a violation has occurred.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB1218 (Education Committee): Eliminate Praxis Test
Description: Eliminates the Praxis test requirement for teacher certification and provides for alternative paths for teacher certification.
Status: Approved by Governor on April 19, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB1237 (Sen. Tom Brewer): Opportunity Scholarships Act
Description: Provides more scholarship opportunities for low-income and working-class children to attend a private school of their choice.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB1251 (Sen. Ben Hansen): Equal Opportunity Scholarship for Students with Special Needs Program Act
Description: Provides $5 million annually in scholarships for children with special needs to enter a non-public school, with the funding to be determined by the child's level of need using a four-tiered system.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support
Marriage and Family
LB97 (Sen. Wendy DeBoer): Allow Any Two People to Adopt
Description: Allows for any two people to jointly adopt a minor child.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB229 (Sen. Megan Hunt): Gender Identity & Criminal Offenses
Description: Seeks to define ‘gender identity’ into state statute for the first time by amending state law governing hate crimes.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB321 (Sen. John Cavanaugh): SOGI & Evidentiary Prohibitions
Description: Creates special protections for ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity’ when courts and juries consider certain types of evidence in legal proceedings.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB357 (Sen. Megan Hunt): Youth in Care Bill of Rights
Description: Attempts to centralize all alleged rights owed to children, but instead undermines the rights of parents, inserts problematic sexual orientation and gender identity non-discrimination language, and arguably expands access to abortion for minors.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB517 (Sen. Megan Hunt): Change Sex on Birth Certificate & Gender Neutrality on Driver’s Licenses
Description: Creates easier processes for a person suffering from gender dysphoria to change the sex on their birth certificate and adds a third gender—gender neutral—on state operator’s licenses and identification cards.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LB1136 (Sen. Megan Hunt): Senior Care & SOGI Non-Discrimination
Description: Makes senior care facilities subject to discipline if they engage in discrimination based on categories of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
LR20CA (Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks): Eliminate Marriage Amendment
Description: Proposes a ballot referendum for the voters to remove the state constitution’s marriage amendment which defines marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
Social and Human Development
LB34 (Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks): Death Penalty Repeal for Persons under 21 Years of Age
Description: Eliminates the death penalty as a criminal punishment for anybody under 21 years of age.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB108 (Sen. John McCollister): Poverty Threshold for Food Assistance Eligibility
Description: Increases the income eligibility to apply for the federal food assistance program (SNAP) from 130% federal poverty level to 165% federal poverty level.
Status: Passed notwithstanding objections of the Governor on May 26, 2021; Presented to Secretary of State on May 26, 2021.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB121 (Sen. Megan Hunt) Food Assistance for Former Felons
Description: Amends provisions related to eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and expands the ability for former drug felons to receive food assistance.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB138 (Sen. Tony Vargas): Notifications & Enforcement of Immigration Laws
Description: Requires law enforcement to notify the governing body overseeing them about any agreements to enforce federal immigration law and further requires the governing body to provide for public notice and hearing regarding the immigration enforcement agreement.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB298 (Sen. Mike McDonnell): Unemployment Insurance Benefits for Immigrants
Description: Ensures that legally work-authorized immigrants—such as asylum seekers, persons with temporary protected status, and DACA recipients—can access unemployment insurance benefits which they have earned.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB306 (Sen. Tom Brandt): Poverty Threshold for Energy Assistance
Description: Increases the income eligibility for the federal energy assistance program (LIHEAP) from 135% federal poverty level to 150% federal poverty level, and requires that 10% of funds be used for weatherization efforts.
Status: Passed notwithstanding objections of the Governor on May 26, 2021; Presented to Secretary of State on May 27, 2021.
NCC Position: Support
LB318 (Sen. John Cavanaugh) Increase Earned Income Tax Credit
Description: Phases in an increase to the refundable earned income tax credit which is provided to low-income and working-class persons and families.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on February 23, 2021.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB461 (Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks): Human Trafficking Information Posters & Casinos
Descriptions: In order to combat the evil of human trafficking, adds ‘casinos’ to the list of places where human trafficking information posters must be visibly placed.
Status: Approved by the Governor on April 16, 2021.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB710 (Sen. John McCollister): Eliminate Asset Test for SNAP
Descriptions: Eliminates the liquid asset limit when determining an applicant's eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB968 (Sen. Myron Dorn): Affordable Housing and Job Training for Refugees and Other Immigrants
Descriptions: Utilizes $10 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding to develop affordable housing and job training and placement opportunities for refugees and other immigrants.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB1002 (Sen. Mike McDonnell): Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
Descriptions: Utilizes $2 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding to provide financial assistance for the cost of heating and cooling the households of individuals eligible for the Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support
LB1201 (Sen. Wendy DeBoer): Food Assistance Grants
Descriptions: Utilizes $40 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding to provide grants to non-profits to assist with food distribution and food insecurity issues which have occurred as a result of the COVID pandemic.
Status: Indefinitely postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB1246 (Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks): Confidentiality for Victims of Human Sex Trafficking
Descriptions: Helps secure the safety of victims of human sex trafficking by requiring that their information be kept confidential in the period immediately following the reporting of a crime related to trafficking.
Status: Approved by Governor on April 18, 2022.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
Church as Institution
LB139 (Sen. Tom Briese): COVID-19 Liability Protection Act
Description: Enacts targeted liability protections for non-profit religious organizations and educational institutions, among others, which have acted in accord with public health and safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Status: Approved by Governor on May 25, 2021.
NCC Position: Support Read our testimony here.
LB226 (Sen. Robert Hilkemann): Limit Motor Vehicle Tax Exemptions
Description: Limits the amount that can be exempted on motor vehicles taxes for non-profits religious, educational, and cemetery associations, with the consequence of placing an undue burden on motor vehicles that cost more money to purchase (e.g., school buses, large passenger vans, maintenance trucks).
Status: Indefinitely Postponed on April 20, 2022.
NCC Position: Oppose Read our testimony here.
